Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association

Patient Travel Planning Guide

Allegheny General Hospital Adult

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is located in the southwestern portion of the state, and this 300,000-person city is the largest in Appalachia. Three rivers meet in the center of Pittsburgh: The Allegheny and The Monongahela (The Mon), which join to form The Ohio River. As a result, it is referred to as the “City of Bridges,” with 446 in total…more than Venice, Italy! Known largely for its key role in the steel industry during the 19th and 20th centuries, modern Pittsburgh is also home to advances in technology and medicine. Carnegie Mellon and other universities provide educational opportunities, while attractions like the Andy Warhol Museum, the NFL’s Steelers, and the NHL’s Penguins offer great cultural experiences.

The weather in Pittsburgh is seasonal, ranging from cold and snowy winters to hot and humid summers. Due to its mountainous surroundings, Pittsburgh attracts more rain and snow than other parts of Pennsylvania. Click here to check the forecast for the next five days.

To learn the basics for Allegheny General Hospital HCM Center patients and visitors, click here . For a deep dive into all of your travel and housing options, expand each of the categories provided on this page. To dig into local lodging, including hotels and short-term rentals, scroll down, and click on the tab of your choice.

Travel Assistance

General tips

Use points from credit cards or other loyalty programs to cover some or all of your travel costs.

Sign up for loyalty programs with credit cards, airlines, and hotels in order to earn points for your travel. This is particularly useful if you know you will be visiting your COE multiple times and can continue to accrue those points.

Considering joining AAA. Members receive excellent discounts, especially at hotels.

Lori Fund

The HCMA Lori Fund will provide micro travel grants to HCM patients traveling to an HCMA-recognized Center of Excellence for care or HCM patients traveling to a facility for heart transplant care. Awards up to $600.00 are available per calendar year.

Getting Here

Air Travel

International Airports within 100 miles

Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)

Domestic Airports within 100 miles

Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE) in Latrobe, PA is 60 miles from Pittsburgh. Serviced by Spirit Airlines.

Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (YNG) in Youngstown, OH is 70 miles from Pittsburgh. Charter flight services.

Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW) in Morgantown, WV is 85 miles from Pittsburgh. Serviced by Southern Airways Express.

Angel Flight East (215-358-1900) provides free air transportation to qualified patients and their families by arranging flights to distant medical facilities. Mention that you are affiliated with HCMA.

MiracleFlights (800-359-1711) provides free flights to those in need of life-changing medical care not available in their local communities.

Car

East-West highway routes: Interstate 376

North-South highway routes: Interstate 79, Interstate 76

Approximate driving times to Pittsburgh are:

2 hours 15 minutes from Cleveland, OH

2 hours 45 minutes from Columbus, OH

5 hours from Philadelphia, PA

Rental car

At Pittsburgh International Airport

At Arnold Palmer Regional Airport

At Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport

At Morgantown Municipal Airport: Located just a quarter mile away, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the closest car rental agency to the airport. The phone number for Enterprise Rent-A-Car is 304-293-2333.

Train

Amtrak service stops at Union Station in Pittsburgh.

Bus

Pittsburgh Intermodal Station is serviced by:

Greyhound Bus

Flixbus

Ground Services

Pittsburgh Regional Transit offers public transit service to and from Pittsburgh International Airport via the 28X Airport Flyer. The 28X route serves Pittsburgh International Airport, Robinson Towne Center, Downtown Pittsburgh, and Oakland seven days a week.

Getting Around

The AHN Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Program is located at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) in Pittsburgh, PA. Start here for an overview of getting to AGH. Below are more specifics:

Rental car

In the Allegheny General Hospital area

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, at 11th Street

Budget Car Rental, at Stanwix Street

Avis at the Venue Apartments

At Pittsburgh International Airport

At Arnold Palmer Regional Airport

At Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport

At Morgantown Municipal Airport: Located just a quarter mile away, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the closest car rental agency to the airport. The phone number for Enterprise Rent-A-Car is 304-293-2333.

Car service, taxi, or rideshare

Taxi

Uber or Lyft

Download these rideshare apps to your phone to see local rates and services

ZipCar is widely available in Pittsburgh

Public Transportation

PRT (Pittsburgh Regional Transit) is the PIttsburgh area’s public transportation system. (412-442-2000)

Bus routes 1, 4, 6, 11, 16, 17 pass near AGH.

Bicycle share/bike lanes or paths

Bike route maps of Pittsburgh

POGOH Bikeshare

Biking in Pittsburgh

Navigating the COE

AHN Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Program

320 East North Avenue

South Tower, First Floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Phone: 412-359-4869

Campus Map (Search for “Cardiovascular Institute III” under Departments for the HCM Program)

Parking:

James Street Garage (recommended)

Open 24 hours.

Pay at the cashier or automated pay station.

Call Security for an escort to your car.

Discounted rates available after 5 consecutive days. Call 412-359-6455.

Valet Parking (additional charge)

Cancer Institute entrance. Mon. – Fri., 6:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sandusky Street patient entrance. Mon. – Fri., 5 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Hemlock Building patient drop-off/pick-up

Mon. – Fri., 6:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

For traveling throughout the city and neighboring communities, consider these transportation options

Places to Eat

Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, Cafe Allegheny, AGH cafeteria, is on the second floor of the Snyder Pavilion

Restaurants (scroll all the way to the bottom) near Allegheny General Hospital

Station Square

Grocery Stores

Giant Eagle Supermarket 318-320 Cedar Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 412-321-3551

Delivery Services

Download these food delivery apps to your phone to see local rates and services:

Grub Hub

Doordash

Postmates

Uber Eats

EatStreetor bold, and add links.

Amenities

Pharmacy

Rite Aid 802 Pennsylvania Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15233 (412-231-0868)

Post Office at Sweet Time General Store

Shopping areas:

The Terminal

Ross Park Mall

The Mall at Robinson

Accessibility

Special Needs Hearing, visual, or language assistance: call 412-359-4940

Hearing-Impaired Services

Handicap Accessible entrances are marked on this map

ACCESS Paratransit is part of PRT (Pittsburgh Regional Transit), the public transportation system.

Tourist/Recreational Destinations

Visitor Information

Visit Pittsburgh

Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Outdoor Activities/Scenic hiking/trails

Emerald View Park

Pittsburgh Regional Parks

Parks and Playgrounds

Allegheny Commons Park

Historic Sites

Fort Pitt Museum

Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village

Museums and galleries

Children’s Museum

Andy Warhol Museum

Carnegie Science Center

Heinz History Center

Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Performing arts

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Pittsburgh Public Theatre

Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera

Seasonal

Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer

Attractions

National Aviary

Pittsburgh Zoo

Duquesne Incline

Monongahela Incline

Where to Stay

Lodging

There are plenty of lodging options in Pittsburgh, PA. The Center of Excellence is located in the Allegheny area of the “North Shore” of Pittsburgh, so hotels in that neighborhood will provide the easiest access to your appointments and procedures. The “Strip District,” just across the Allegheny River, is also convenient. Click on the tabs above for our specific recommendations.

Specialized Accommodations:

Family House is a non-profit organization that provides an affordable “home away from home” for patients and families receiving medical care at Pittsburgh area hospitals, hospices, and rehabilitation centers. Call 412-647-7777 for more information or to make your reservation.

A few items of note:

The AHN Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Program is located at Allegheny General Hospital, 320 East North Avenue, South Tower, First Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Phone: 412-359-4869.

The following services are available if you need durable medical equipment at your lodging location:

Allegheny Health Network Home Medical Equipment (1-800-381-8080)

Serving the Greater Pittsburgh area, and covered by many insurance companies, AHN provides everything from hospital beds and wheelchairs to respiratory therapy and orthotics

Hotels

The annual average nightly hotel room rate in Pittsburgh (excluding taxes) in 2023 is $124.

Many lodging options that do not include a kitchenette do have refrigerators and/or microwaves available to guests. You may need to request them in advance.

For a complete list of hotels with nightly, weekly, and monthly rates that partner with Allegheny Hospital, click here. We’ve researched some HCM patient-friendly amenities you may wish to take advantage of, including patient pricing discounts, connecting rooms, kitchenettes, and courtesy shuttles. Our list of hotel recommendations is below.

We hope you’ll use the list below to assist in your hotel search:

Cambria Suites Pittsburgh at Consol Energy Center (412-381-6687)

3-star hotel; COE discount is 15% off the base rate and varies by night (note: hotel is next to an arena, and events there impact room rates); there are full-size pull-out sofas in every room; rooms with 2 Queen beds connect (requests can be made, and they are likely but not guaranteed); connecting rooms are not handicap accessible.

COE Discount Available

Connecting Rooms Available

Handicap Accessible

TripAdvisor Top 10

Hampton Inn and Suites Pittsburgh (412-288-4350)

3-star hotel; COE discount rooms are based on availability, at a rate of $149 for standard rooms or $169 for suites before taxes; full-size sofa beds are available in all King rooms; Connecting rooms go fairly quickly (King rooms connect to 2-Queen rooms), but you can guarantee them, for a fee, on Hilton.com or by calling the hotel.

COE Discount Available

Connecting Rooms Available

Handicap Accessible

TripAdvisor Top 10

Google Top 10

Homewood Suites Pittsburgh Downtown (412-232-0200)

3-star hotel; There are full-size pull-out sofas and kitchenettes in every room; there are only a couple of connecting rooms (all King to King), so make your request early in order to guarantee yours.

Connecting Rooms Available

Handicap Accessible

TripAdvisor Top 10

Google Top 10

The Priory (866-377-4679 or 412-231-3338)

3-star hotel; Ask for the “AGH rate,” which is $109 for a Queen room or $149 for a King; European boutique hotel 8 blocks from the hospital; Bike-friendly; “TripAdvisor Hall of Fame Hotel”; Only 3 connecting rooms are available, so ask as far in advance as possible; Kitchenettes are available only in the corporate suites, and the AGH rate does not apply to those rooms; There is a hotel courtesy shuttle, running Fridays and Saturdays 4pm-midnight.

COE Discount Available

Connecting Rooms Available

Kitchenette

Handicap Accessible

Courtesy Shuttle Available

TripAdvisor Top 10

Google Top 10

Residence Inn Pittsburgh North Shore (412-321-2099)

3-star hotel; COE discount varies, based on date and availability; There are pull-out sofa beds in every room; Although there are no connecting rooms, you can make requests for nearby rooms; A hotel courtesy shuttle runs within a 1-mile radius of the hotel (including Allegheny General Hospital), approximately every half hour, and can be arranged with the front desk.

COE Discount Available

Kitchenette

Handicap Accessible

Courtesy Shuttle

Hyatt Place Pittsburgh North Shore (412-321-3000)

3-star hotel; COE discount rate is $139 for a King room; pull-out sofas are in every room; connecting rooms available but cannot be guaranteed.

COE Discount Available

Connecting Rooms Available

Handicap Accessible

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Pittsburgh North Shore (412-323-9005)

3-star hotel; COE discount rate is $134 before tax for either a King or Double Queen, based on availability; There are sofa beds in every room; Connecting rooms (King to Double Queen) are available and can be guaranteed by calling as soon as possible. The hotel courtesy shuttle, (which can take you to Allegheny General Hospital), runs Monday-Saturday, 7am-10pm, every half hour.

COE Discount Rate Available

Connecting Rooms Available

Handicap Accessible

Courtesy Shuttle

Short-Term Rentals

Short-term rentals are available in the Pittsburgh area, and the list below includes sole occupancy/ single-unit properties near Allegheny General Hospital, some of which have one or more accessibility features. Review each individual listing for specifics.

Modern City Home Near PPG Paints

Average review (1-5): 4.73

Apartment/Condo

Self check-in

On site laundry

Kitchen

On site parking

Cozy Row House ★ Quiet ★ Designer Heaven ★ Central

Average review (1-5): 4.8

Apartment/Condo

Self check-in

Kitchen

On site parking

No accessibility features

City View King Bed at Pittsburgh Downtown at the Wyndham Grand

Average review (1-5): 4.73

On site laundry

On site parking

Ask about accessibility features

NEW DTWN Three Rivers Luxury Sunset Loft

Average review (1-5): 5

Apartment/Condo

On site laundry

Kitchen

On site parking

Frontdesk | Bright 1 BR Close to Downtown

Average review (1-5): 5

Apartment/Condo

Self check-in

On site laundry

Kitchen

Frontdesk | Modern 2 BR near Historic District

Average review (1-5): 4.7

Apartment/Condo

On site laundry

Kitchen

On site parking

Travel information is provided through a collaboration between The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association and Reasonable Accommodations LLC.

The HCMA and Reasonable Accommodations will make their best effort to keep the Patient Travel Planning Guide as current as possible. The HCMA cannot give any guarantees with regard to the prices, opening times, and availability of any specified facilities. Additionally, just because facilities are mentioned does not necessarily mean that these will always be available. Changes may also have been made to the specified prices, opening times, and availability.